No Child Left Behind Act: Additional Assistance and Research on Effective Strategies Would Help Small Rural Districts
Highlights
To improve the academic achievement of the nation's 48 million school-aged children, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA) introduced significant changes to state, district, and school accountability for student performance and teacher qualifications. Congress has raised concerns about difficulties rural districts face implementing NCLBA. GAO is providing NCLBA implementation information on (1) key challenges rural states and districts face, (2) strategies rural districts have developed, (3) expenditures and resources related to rural districts' compliance, and (4) guidance and assistance the Department of Education (Education) is providing. To address these objectives, GAO conducted a nationally representative survey of rural and nonrural school districts. Also GAO interviewed officials in rural states and districts and Education officials.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Education | Because of the challenges small rural districts face, the Secretary of Education should provide additional assistance to states on approaches small rural districts can use to implement student proficiency provisions and teacher qualification requirements, including the application of new flexibilities. |
Closed – Implemented
In April 2005, Education established a Center for Rural Education in the Office of Vocational and Adult Education to serve as the "voice" on education issues affecting rural populations. The Center is coordinating programs that support rural education both within and outside of Education. In addition, Education's Rural Education Task Force identified ways to better disseminate information about funding opportunities and the flexibilities available to rural districts.
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| Department of Education | To assist rural states in meeting student proficiency provisions of NCLBA, the Department of Education--through its recently established National Research and Development Center on Rural Education--should focus on effective, scientifically based methods to improve student performance, and that it conduct studies on the services that can help small rural districts meet students proficiency provisions in light of the unique challenges that these districts face. |
Closed – Implemented
Education's Center for Rural Education consulted with the Institute of Education Sciences to determine the most appropriate studies and methods to improve student performance. As a result, the Center is conducting evidenced-based studies to assess teacher training programs that help students who have difficulty meeting NCLB's proficiency provisions. Reflecting GAO's recommendation, the studies include research sites that are in remote or small school districts so that the Center can develop strategies that are most effective in small rural districts.
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